The present invention relates in general to packaging dental equipment and more particularly concerns novel apparatus and techniques for providing a dentist a convenient kit for use in doing root canal work to enable the dentist to have conveniently available in a single package all the instruments and supplies needed for performing root canal work. The invention facilitates safe, sterile, good and economical root canal treatment by a general dental practitioner.
The root canal is a channel in the tooth running from the crown to the root containing the pulp which is composed of connective tissue, nerves and blood vessels. If this pulp tissue is irreversibly damaged by trauma or invasion of decay, root canal treatment is necessary to save the tooth. Treatment typically involves removal of all irritants, necrotic tissue and infected material from the root canal, enlarging and sanitizing the canal, and finally sealing and packing the canal in all dimensions. Root canal treatments are performed by specialists in the field of endodontics. However, a general dentist is capable of administering root canal treatment. Root canal treatment requires a number of specialized instruments, materials and apparatus and maintenance of high standards of sterility to avoid infection. Assembling these materials and equipment to perform a root canal treatment requires considerable time for preparation and assembly of the necessary materials and instruments. Inability to have prompt access to any needed material or instrument delays treatment, extends time needed for treatment and increases cost. Furthermore, this inability in emergency rooms often results in the emergency service offering the patient the alternative of extraction and loss of the tooth or medication to relieve pain until root canal treatment can be obtained.
Accordingly, it is an important object of the invention to provide improved apparatus and techniques that facilitate root canal treatment in a safe and convenient manner.
It is another object of the invention to achieve the preceding object with a convenient kit that contains the materials and apparatus a dentist requires for rendering root canal treatment.
It is still another object of the invention to achieve one or more of the preceding objects with a relatively compact structure that is durable, hygienic, resistant to chemicals used in root canal treatment and relatively lightweight.
It is still a further object of the invention to achieve one or more of the preceding objects with structure that conveniently supports the materials and instruments to provide ready access to them in an organized manner that helps minimize the time required for preparation and administering root canal treatments.